I would have done my best to avoid the confrontation. I'm not naturally a violent person and don't seek it out. When I was a teenager I was smarter than everyone. And one day I let my brilliant snarky comments fly in the face of the wrong guy. My careless, snotty, flippant "I'm just being honest" attitude got me rewarded with quite a bit more than hair-pulling. Some lessons about tact come about as subtly as being hit by a train. Trains are soooooo easy to avoid but people still try to cross the track when all the red lights are flashing. It's your decision to do that, just don't be surprised when you get hit.

(Oh, and I saw this NatGeo program the other day on crime scene clean-up. It said that people who throw themselves in front of trains have a tendency to explode on impact! Sorry, that has nothing to do with my metaphor. I just thought it was interesting. )

_________________________"What happens in the shadow, in the grey regions, also interests us – all that is elusive and fugitive, all that can be said in those beautiful half tones, or in whispers, in deep shade." ~ The Brothers Quay

So you got grabbed by the hair and had witnesses around?Why didn't you opt for just using that against that person?There's a friend of mine that got slapped (just slapped), after some verbal situation.And he dropped himself on the floor, there where a bunch of witnesses around and the police arrested the "violator".He called in sick at his work and complained of major headaches.His work sued the slapper, and he sued the slapper and won the whole thing in court. That is retaliation to me, even the fact that this wouln'd be my approach at all.But it's a good example on how to avenge your situation.

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He who turns the other cheek is a cowardly dog.||.TSB Page 33.||

An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. || Benjamin Franklin ||

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ï¿½Love is one of the most intense feelings felt by man; another is hate. Forcing yourself to feel indiscriminate love is very unnatural. If you try to love everyone you only lessen your feelings for those who deserve your love. Repressed hatred can lead to many physical and emotional aliments. By learning to release your hatred towards those who deserve it, you cleanse yourself of these malignant emotions and need not take your pent-up hatred out on your loved ones.ï¿½ Anton Szandor LaVey, The Satanic Bible

If a stranger came up to me and started asking questions not only about my work, but specifically where I worked, I would start asking questions too. I'd want to know what business is it of theirs, who wants to know, and why do they want to know. You didn't elaborate very much during your story, but it doesn't sound like the guy was trying to make conversation. It sounded more like he had an agenda.

I also wouldn't have dropped the pen at his feet. As others have said, this only provokes the situation and makes it go from bad to worse. You should consider yourself lucky that your retaliation came swiftly and that there were witnesses around. The world is full of people that would have waited until you were least expecting it and with no witnesses around.

As others have suggested, it seems that a few relevant details have been omitted. You stated some of the facts, but we have no way of knowing about body language, other than the actual attack. Few people resort to violence as quickly as you stated, which causes me to wonder what actually happened.

Let's say I believe your version of the story for a moment ... If a stranger interrogated me I would have been skeptical. I wouldn't have dropped the pen. If the stranger would have moved towards me offensively, he would have been unconscious within a minute. But I'm a mixed martial arts fighter, formally trained in battling opponents of all strengths and skill levels, that might not be the wisest decision for you.

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** former username Ealaiontor **

"The truth is I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves. They didn't bother to find out who and what I was. Instead they would invent a character for me. I wouldn't argue with them." - Marilyn Monroe

Great observation Wolf Landon. I have often wondered why that anyone has to ask seemingly important questions of a group of strangers they only know online. I have seen this happen on numerous message boards. Perhaps I am being too harsh, but I am capable of running my own life so I can't understand it when others can't seem to.

As for Thom Volkh,

I agree with others I feel that certain factors are omitted. Although hair pulling sounds more like the act of a sissy than an attacker. A while back a co worker of mine (who was drunk and making an ass of himself) tried egging me into a fight by yelling at me. I calmly left and walked to my car. He didn't try to make a move on me (he was smarter than that). The result he stood there and made an ass of himself.

First, you didn't have to answer any questions that you didn't want to. You offered him a pen and he refused it. You then dropped it at his feet (most likely insulting him). Notice who I am placing the emphasis on here? The situation was in your control from the very beginning. It sounds to me as though your hopes of

Quote:

Because I could use the legal system to attain cash money. I could acquire wealth.

will not happen, as it sounds likely that you created the situation by both your inaction and action. Then again who knows the "victim" always invokes sympathy.

That is not to say I am against defending oneself. As I said, my co worker was smart enough not to lay one finger on me. I don't provoke situations. I always have let the other guy throw the first punch. Two reasons, it gives me one hell of an adrenaline rush and then I drop him. At that point anything I do is in self defense. Number of times I have been in jail: 0. Number of times I have been sued: 0. Fortunately I haven't had to resort to that two many times. Most of my friends say if they didn't know me they would be scared to meet me in a dark alley. I guess I have a menacing appearance.

I say put your chin up, admit you got your hair messed up, and stop whining (especially playing the role of a victim). It makes you look weak. (If you included all of the facts you could have retaliated with force, had the physical satisfaction of kicking someones ass, and got off Scott free as it would have been self defense). Perhaps in the future you should choose your battles a bit more wisely.

I don't think he had the right to attack you.However it appears that you provoked the attack, and possibly you were unable to deal with the consequences of your action(s), although of course this would of been unexpected I assume.I am sure it seems to some, that you are posting to try and (as Nemo said) gain a Satanic "okay".

Personally I would think the most obvious thing to do since that person unnecessarily used violence against you ...Maybe you made a wrong decision, and now your trying to justify it to yourself?

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Counter Productive Pride -

That first word is important. Pride is great up to the point where you begin to throw the baby out with the bathwater.The rule of Satanism is if it works for you, great.When it stops working for you, when you've painted yourself into a corner and the only way out is to say, I'm sorry I made a mistake, I wish we could compromise somehow, then do it.

- The Satanic Scriptures, Page 30#5 of The 9 Satanic Sins

I don't think this person would of also feared any consequences of his actions.Is suing the man the best way of attempting to get this person to see there should be consequences for unjustified violence? Are you interested in doing so?

I am not saying any of this to attack you Thom Volkh, only to inform, something you should possibly think about. (In many different situations as well, not just this one, something we all need to remember.)

Please understand that I did not put up the original post. None of the above quoted statements in Morganti's post were mine. I would not have to ask anyone on a message board how to run my life. I responded to the post. Which after thought, I agree with Magister Nemo. It is baiting and is really not worthy of response.